The present invention relates to the safe and efficient transportation of dangerous goods. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved package and method of packaging dangerous goods, such as infectious substances for transport so as to protect users, handlers and the general public from exposure to such substances.
The handling and transport of dangerous goods is an increasingly complex and difficult task. The definition of a dangerous good may depend on the regulatory body consulted. Generally speaking, regulations tend to classify goods as dangerous based, primarily, on their respective inherently hazardous properties. For example, the Canadian Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations define xe2x80x9cdangerous goodsxe2x80x9d as any product, substance or organism in any of nine classes of materials: explosive; gases; flammable and combustible liquids; flammable solids; oxidizing substances (such as organic peroxides); poisonous, toxic and infectious substances; radioactive materials; corrosives; and various and miscellaneous products, substances or organisms considered to be dangerous to life, health, property or the environment when transported. These regulations apply to the handling, shipping, transporting and importing of any such goods throughout Canada by any means of transportation.
Canada is not the only country or regulatory entity to be concerned with the transport of dangerous goods. The United States Hazardous Materials Regulations provided in 49 C.F.R. address the transportation of dangerous goods within the United States. The International Maritime Organization has issued the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, which is used in both Canada and the United States for international shipments by the marine mode. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAOxe2x80x9d) has issued regulations that, together with operator requirements, are included in the International Air Transport Association (xe2x80x9cIATAxe2x80x9d) Dangerous Goods Regulations. Once again, both the United States and Canada use these regulations to govern the shipment of dangerous goods by air, both domestically and internationally. Yet further, the United Nations Committee of Experts has issued the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
Enforcement of dangerous goods regulations has been an evolutionary process. Many of these regulations were not adopted until the 1980""s. Even though IATA has regulated the international transport of dangerous goods since the 1970""s, many businesses and shippers were not even aware of such regulations. As a result, the demand for dangerous goods packaging and packaging methods has increased as shippers and others have become increasingly aware of the regulations. Failure to comply with such regulations can, of course, be catastrophic. For example, in December of 1999, American Airlines"" parent company, AMR, pled guilty to a felony charge and paid an $8 million fine for mishandling barrels filled with the chemical Dioxital. In 1996, an aircraft maintenance company failed to properly package oxygen canisters blamed for a cargo hold fire in a Valujet aircraft, causing the jet to crash in the Florida Everglades. Such high profile instances of failure to comply with such regulations have also greatly increased awareness.
Perhaps for similar reasons, the advent of infectious substance packaging and associated packaging methods has also been an evolutionary process. An early patent in this area is U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,893, entitled xe2x80x9cContainer for the Transport of Diagnostic Specimens.xe2x80x9d This patent discloses a method of packaging vials containing infectious substances or diagnostic specimens for purposes of transport. This method can be practiced by use of a package presently offered and sold by Saf-T-Pak, Inc. of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada under the designation xe2x80x9cSTP-100xe2x80x9d. This package includes a pressure vessel, or xe2x80x9csecondaryxe2x80x9d container for receipt of vials containing an infectious substance,xe2x80x9d and a fiberboard outer container. This packaging relied upon cardboard (fiberboard) material to provide resistance to impact from dropping or puncture. This was the first package to be approved for use by a government regulatory entity, namelyxe2x80x94Transport Canada.
A subsequent patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,021, issued Nov. 3, 1992, and is entitled xe2x80x9cLeak-proof Cylindrical Container for the Transport of Diagnostic Specimens or Dangerous Substances.xe2x80x9d This patent disclosed a leak-proof secondary container for packaging vials containing diagnostic specimens and the like. The disclosed container provided an open-topped cylinder having a radial groove adjacent its top end for retaining an o-ring gasket. A cap for the cylinder was also disclosed. The cap included a circular top wall and a skirt sized to slide over the top of the cylinder to sealingly engage an o-ring gasket.
As stated in both of these patents, the threat of user or handler infection due to inadvertent contact with blood that has been infected with the AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) virus (or some infectious substance) has also heightened awareness of the need for proper packages and methods of packaging such substances for transport. Using the shipment of blood as an example, the vial or xe2x80x9cprimary containerxe2x80x9d would be filled by a user (typically a technician or lab clerk) and inserted into a secondary container. Once that secondary container was properly sealed, an outer package is provided. The regulations typically require a water-tight primary container (a vial), a water-tight secondary packaging (a proper secondary container), absorbent material between the primary and secondary containers, and an outer container of sufficient strength to meet certain performance tests. The regulations do not provide or require a certain structure, such as, for example, a certain outer packaging. Instead, the regulations require that the package and/or method as a whole meet certain requirements. For example, the U.N. Recommendations require that the package pass a drop test of the entire package from nine (9) meters, a penetration test using a steel cylinder weighing 7 kilograms dropped from a point one (1) meter above the package, and a pressure test. These two patents therefore show two ways to address and comply with the regulations and/or recommendations. There are, of course, many more.
Such prior art packages have proven effective for transporting infectious substances and other dangerous goods. However, the weight and rigid construction of such prior art packaging components is a problem for shippers and users. Such packages are difficult to ship because they cannot be collapsed or xe2x80x9cknocked-downxe2x80x9d prior to use. The package therefore requires a significant space for both storage and shipment. Many prior art packages rely on cardboard (fiberboard) packing material to such cushion the secondary container. Such materials may be attached to or separate of the outer packaging, but nonetheless require additional space. Should the plastic secondary container become damaged, it must be repaired or replaced. Thus, there is a continuing need in the art for an improved package and to improve known methods of packaging infectious substances and other dangerous goods.
The present invention fills the above-described need in the prior art by providing an improved package and method of packaging infectious substances that includes collapsible packaging elements and avoids the use of additional packing material to meet the requisite performance tests. The present invention is also lighter than prior art packages and therefore more economical in use.
Generally described, the present invention comprises a first collapsible container, a second collapsible container, and means for suspending the second container within the first container.
Described somewhat more particularly, the present invention comprises an outer package including at least two surfaces, an inner package dimensioned to be received by the outer package, and means associated with the two surfaces of the outer package for suspending the inner box within the outer box. In a preferred embodiment, the means for suspension may comprise at least one scored flap panel integrally formed with one or more of the two surfaces of the outer package that, when properly manipulated, captures and suspends the inner package in such a way as to suspend the inner package within the outer package.
The present invention further includes a method of packaging an infectious substance or dangerous good. Generally described, a preferred method comprises causing the substance to be shipped to be confined within a first container, placing the first container within a second container, placing the second container within an inner package, and suspending the inner package within an outer package for shipment.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved package and method of packaging dangerous goods for transport that may be certified by a regulatory authority and thus passes the performance tests established by that regulatory authority.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved package and method of packaging dangerous goods for transport that may be certified by a regulatory authority and thus passes the performance tests established by that regulatory authority.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved package and method of packaging dangerous goods for transport that is capable of reducing the weight of shipment and shipping components.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved package and method of packaging dangerous goods for transport that is economical and efficient to make, ship and use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved package and method of packaging dangerous goods that is particularly well suited for the transport of infectious substances.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved package and method of packaging dangerous goods that is particularly well suited for infectious substances and avoids the use of additional packaging material where possible.